The evolution of technology has forever changed the way we use our applications. From the advent of cloud-based computing to the modern day application development, the role of application architecture is essential in creating, deploying and scaling applications. Application architecture is a set of guidelines and design principles used to ensure the development and deployment of an application is efficient and cost-effective. It helps define an overall application structure, including the components, services, and frameworks needed to support the application. Application architecture is often the first step in defining an application for potential development, as it lays the foundation for the building process. In addition to ensuring an efficient development process, application architecture can also assist with troubleshooting and maintenance, as it provides a clear overview of the application’s structure. In this blog post, we’ll be discussing what application architecture is, the benefits it provides, and some best practices to consider when designing an application architecture.
What is APPLICATIONS ARCHITECTURE? What does APPLICATIONS ARCHITECTURE mean?
What is application architecture?
Application architecture is a framework that serves as a manual for how software applications should be put together and how they should interact with one another to serve the needs of clients. This structure consists of systems, software modules, and all of the interactions between them. To ensure that your application can scale to meet growing business demands and user requirements while maintaining reliable processes, application architecture can help you define how your software interacts with databases and middleware. It is crucial because it enables businesses to use contemporary software development to produce valuable goods quickly and affordably.
11 types of application architecture
Following are some typical forms of application architecture and how they function:
1. Unified Modeling Language (UML)
A graphical modeling tool called UML is used to examine and present system designs. By offering methodologies, modeling strategies, and techniques for categorizing objects, interactions, procedures, event handling, and state machines, it creates a common language for all software teams. You can share a team’s visual representation of a system design or structure using UML diagrams. UMLs offer a method for classifying project requirements into jobs by mapping them to universal terms.
2. Component-based architecture
A development approach known as “component-based architecture” focuses on creating and implementing applications using reusable components. To avoid dependencies between various modules or libraries, you create these applications with components, or grouped software modules, that you separate from one another. You frequently separate various entities so that you can develop and deploy each module separately and without relying on the development of other modules.
In actual use, CBSAs show reduced development costs, accelerated development cycles, and a high degree of code reuse. Additionally, CBSAs are flexible, simple to maintain, and extensible. These advantages are a result of CBSAs’ modular architecture, which divides applications into smaller units to increase their flexibility through the addition or removal of software components. For instance, it might be necessary to relocate or remove specific components from some CBSAs in order to upgrade software versions.
3. Object-oriented architecture
The development methodology known as object-oriented architecture (OOA) focuses on the creation and implementation of applications that use objects. It is a method of developing software that incorporates the idea of object-oriented programming (OOP) and makes use of objects in a system. Object-oriented architectures exhibit several benefits. Since major changes in the implementation of an application or system through incremental changes or reusing existing objects, they enable you to add new features to applications more quickly and they aid in lowering maintenance costs.
4. Service-based architecture
Every application in a service-based architecture (SBA) has a remote interface for interacting with services. SBAs are centralized system design models. This system architecture is an extension of the service-oriented architecture and is derived from a well-defined service-oriented network architecture. An application design and implementation model that focuses on the design and implementation of applications to support the delivery of services is known as a service-based system architecture. It is a well-defined approach to developing enterprise applications that substitutes services for client-server architectures as the foundation for application development.
This type of software architecture’s primary goal is to develop application interfaces that let services assume the duties of simpler components, like handling data manipulation or other routine tasks.
5. Cloud-based architecture
You can create, create, and implement applications using a cloud-based software architecture (CSA), which is an application design and implementation model. Additionally, it might make it possible to modify software, add new features, and tweak already-existing programs.
A type of development approach for making enterprise solutions and other kinds of large-scale systems is called a cloud-based system architecture. The concept behind cloud-based software architecture is to separate the parts and pieces of a solution or other system from the computing or data storage environment in which they are used.
6. Event-driven architecture
A type of software architecture known as “event-driven software architecture” (EDSA) uses events and individual application components to design system components that can communicate with one another. With the aid of event-based systems, you can gather and manage information in real-time and use it to perform tasks, make decisions, and offer new services or improvements.
EDSAs can be used to retrieve data from various sources and base decisions on that data in sectors like banking, telecommunications, and health care. An event-based system, for instance, could be used to manage a medical device that provides patient care.
7. Progressive web app architecture
A progressive web app architecture is a style of application development where the emphasis is on the functionality of the application across various platforms or web browsers. This methodology differs from traditional software development, where programmers frequently produce apps that are tailored to a single platform, like iPhones or Android devices.
Through modifications to the JavaScript, HTML, and CSS code, this new method enables you to implement web applications that function on any device, in any browser, and on any Operating System (OS). Additionally, notifications and other features that enhance user experience while using these apps are supported by progressive web apps.
8. Isomorphic architecture
The system components of an isomorphic software architecture (ISA) are created to communicate with one another through a single, shared application programming interface (API) or system component. Although the code for an application’s front end and back end runs in different environments, they both use the same API to access the same data. For instance, to retrieve the data, the web browser contacts the server. With the help of a single shared API, you can create both the front-end and the back-end code for an application using the ISA approach to software design.
9. Microservice architecture
The development of applications made up of numerous independent services that manage business logic, data manipulation, configuration, storage, and other components of an application is the main goal of the microservice architecture (MSA), a software design model. Unlike traditional team-based systems, a microservice-based system architecture enables you to create numerous smaller teams for various tasks as opposed to a single large team. For instance, a microservice architecture might consist of a number of various teams that are intended to operate independently of one another. Microservices are frequently used to increase an application’s scalability, security, reliability, and maintainability.
In the software industry, organizations frequently use the term “microservice” to describe applications made up of numerous small services that programmers or system administrators can use. Compared to traditional monolithic applications, which share a single code base with multiple teams, microservices have a number of advantages. They create smaller teams to handle various tasks within the application, making it more adaptable to various environments, partial failures, and enhancing teamwork.
10. Micro front-end architecture
When using a micro-front end architecture (MFE) approach, the applications are made up of various separate parts that can communicate with one another. Its primary goal is to produce reusable, modular, and flexible components that can be used in any application. Through a modular design system where you implement them in accordance with an established interface, you can reuse components.
Additionally, MFE enables you to build web applications from scratch using front-end frameworks based on the ideas of a service-oriented architecture (SOA). With the help of this design strategy, you can develop robust, dynamic, and scalable web applications while developing a backend system based on microservices technology.
11. Single-page application architecture
A single-page application (SPA) is a kind of web application that displays all the information required to carry out or finish a task on a single page. Simple forms, ads, coupons, search results, and news can all be found there.
You can build sophisticated web applications with SPA that let you display multiple pages of distinct content in the same web browser. Using a single server-side and client-side application is more expensive than using this application design strategy. Even if the user is using a mobile device or the screen size changes, you can use SPAs that are responsive by default.
FAQ
What is meant by application architecture?
The methods and procedures used to create an application are described by its architecture. When creating an application, the architecture provides a roadmap and best practices to adhere to so that the app is well-structured.
What is application architecture diagram?
Application architects produce and keep up-to-date documentation on the software architecture, application design procedures, component integration, testing guidelines, and other crucial components.
